Yasir, Wahab may face disciplinary action after spat

Leg-spinner Yasir Shah and fast bowler Wahab Riaz were involved in a spat at a training session in Brisbane ahead of the first Test between Australia and Pakistan on Thursday.

Yasir Shah (left) and Wahab Riaz appeared in a video released on social media to declare their truce.

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) seems to have taken a serious view of a spat between Wahab Riaz and Yasir Shah during a training session in Brisbane on Wednesday, a day before the first Test begins at the Gabba.

PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan told the media here that he was disappointed to hear about the incident involving Wahab and Yasir during a football session. “I don’t know how this happened because so far the team has been a well-knit side and disciplined. This is not discipline and we have asked for a report from the team management on what transpired,” he said.

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— Yasir Shah Offical (@Shah64Y) >December 14, 2016

Khan said after studying the report, disciplinary action, if necessary, would be taken against the two players.

The incident was picked up by the international media after wire services flashed pictures of the two players facing off in the training session. Team manager Wasim Bari sent off both the players from the training session to sit on the bench. The two players then appeared in a video released on social media in which they insisted they were good friends and the incident was blown out of proportion by the media.

Pakistan has never won a Test series in Australia and the current three-match series represents a big challenge for the touring side led by long serving captain Misbah-ul-Haq.

Important series

Pakistan has named four pacers in Wahab, Rahat Ali, Mohammad Aamir and Sohail Khan in its line-up of 12 for Thursday. The PCB chief said the series in Australia was an important one for Pakistan and he hoped the team would be able to put up a good show.

Asked whether the outcome of the Test series would have a bearing on the future of 42-year-old Misbah as captain, Khan said the board had left it up to the player to decide his future himself. “He can decide himself but as far as we are concerned we have replacements ready as does every cricket nation. We have our replacements clear in our mind if required,” he said.

A recent statement by Khan that he had asked Misbah to continue as captain until 2018 led to a backlash in the media and from some former players who questioned the wisdom and timing of such a statement prior to the Tests in Australia.